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Boxers are extreme athletes, and water is their lifeline. The importance of water hydration is exasperated in athletes. The right amount of water is needed before and after exercise to properly regulate body temperature, lubricate the joints and help with the transportation of nutrients in the body that provide you with vital energy.

Improper hydration can lead to:

Fatigue

Dizziness

Muscle cramps

And these are just a few of the symptoms that are experienced with dehydration. When you lose more liquid then you drink, you will eventually become dehydrated. Dehydration can go from mild to severe rather quickly, and boxers exert so much energy that they are at a very high risk of dehydration when training and fighting.

Symptoms of Dehydration

Anyone that is dehydrated – especially boxers – will suffer from the following symptoms:

Nausea

Dry mouth

Muscle cramps

Fast and erratic heartbeat

Vomiting

Lightheaded feeling

These are just a few of the mild symptoms that will be experienced. If hydration is not corrected quickly, this can lead to severe dehydration symptoms, which include:

Loss of consciousness in severe instances

Mental confusion

Muscle weakness

Allowing dehydration to get to this severity level will require emergency medical care. A boxer that cannot take a moment off of training needs to be drinking the appropriate amount of water to stay hydrated.

Sports drinks may be utilized to provide a little extra calories and nutrients to the boxer, but it is important to ensure that this drink does not contain high amounts of sugar, as this can lead to further dehydration.

You can take it one step further and ensure that the water you are consuming is good quality to improve absorption. You can do this by drinking bottled mineral water, however this can be expensive. Another option is to filter the water you drink and can even use a whole house water filter system. If you are interested in a getting a system installed, we would recommend checking out SofterH2O.com to see all their water softener systems.

Boxer Water Consumption During Training

The intensity of the training will require more water to be drank. A typical guideline of how much water to drink during training of any kind is as follows:

Drink 20 ounces of water 2 to 3 hours prior to exercise

Drink 20 ounces of water 20 minutes before training

Drink 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes while training

Drink an additional 8 ounces of water immediately following training

Boxers should weigh themselves prior to training, and weigh themselves after training to understand how much fluid has been lost during training. A rough estimate of fluid to weight is 16 to 24 ounces of water per body pound lost.

If a boxer loses 2 pounds of water after training, it’s essential that the boxer drinks at least 48 ounces of water before during and after training to compensate for the amount of fluid lost during training.

Adjusting how much water is consumed is essential for boxers.

Heat illness is a major concern, especially during the summer months when boxers are training under intense heat levels. What causes heat illness is dehydration tied with a lack of the body being able to effectively cool itself off.
Sweating, comprised of the fluid in your body, is meant to cool the body down during exercise or rigorous activity. Since so much water is expelled during training, dehydration can cause the body to not be able to cool itself properly.

This will result in:

Heat cramps

Heat exhaustion

Heatstroke

Body temperatures can rise as high as 104°F when heat illness kicks in, so it's important to take measures to avoid overheating.

The bottom line is this: when it comes to training and fighting, nothing is more important than staying hydrated.

If you’re a boxer, you know who Mohammed Ali is. The greatest of all time, Mohammed Ali had one thing that stunned the world: footwork. He could dance around virtually anybody in the ring, and he had a way of dodging punch after punch – minus when he played rope-a-dope with George Foreman.

Don’t get me wrong, Ali had speed to counteract any opponent.

But amazing footwork helped him stay dominant for so many years. If you're a boxer, it’s important that you follow boxing footwork tips to help enhance your skill set. A few tips that I recommend include:

1. Wear Boxing Shoes

Far too many new boxers come into a gym wearing their sneakers. This will never work to your advantage. You wouldn’t wear a sweater when you jump in the pool, so don’t go out and wear sneakers in the ring.Boxing shoes are thinner, and allow for better power transfer than your typical sneaker.

The issue with sneakers and other footwear is that the sole is often curved. What this does is it hinders your ability to firmly plant your feet into the ground when boxing, and you’ll notice an amazing difference once you start wearing boxing shoes.

2. Jump Rope

Do you know why so many people hate jumping rope? It’s difficult. One of the best exercises to mimic how you’ll be using your legs in the ring is jumping rope – so get used to doing it every day.

Jumping rope ensures that your legs can produce bursts of power, and you're able to withstand an entire fight without fatigue.

3. Stay Straight

Leaning back or hunching forward is only good when you try to avoid being hit. When you’re working on footwork, keep your back straight. Keeping your spine in the upright position allows for more balance, and is a more efficient position to move quickly.

Pivoting and movement is far easier when your spine is straight.

Don’t get me wrong, you may want to tilt your spine when throwing a punch, and then straighten and move away quickly. This is acceptable, but when you are moving into range, keep your spine straight.

4. Relax Your Upper Body

Your upper body needs to stay relaxed, and it should not move independently from your lower body. While many trainers will explain the upper and lower body as two separate entities, they do not move separately.

All of your body's movement is generated from your core – well, at least the powerful movement you need as a boxer.

If your upper body is stiff, this will hinder your lower body's movement. If you want to test this out for yourself, keep your arms tucked against your body when you’re trying to move around, and see how stiff and awkward the movement feels. Your whole body needs to move in unison to master your footwork.

5. Pay Attention to The Balls of Your Feet

When your feet land on the ground and come off the ground, you want to be on the balls of your feet. When you go forward, you want to land on the balls of your feet first. This allows you to move faster in a push-and-pull motion, and helps you stay grounded and ready for a punch.

Stepping forward with to heel may be natural when you’re walking, but you do not want to box this way.

The same goes for moving backwards. You want to push off with the ball of your foot, making sure that it's the last contact you make with the mat. This allows for you to powerfully move your body back into the original position and be ready for taking a punch.

Remember, footwork is a critical part of boxing, so take the time to master it and work it on it every day.

Boxers needs to keep up their energy and stamina in the ring. These athletes need to follow a strict diet, and the best way to do this is to understand exactly what a boxer needs in terms of macronutrients.

We are not going to be breaking down an exact diet plan here, but we will be discussing the basic nutrition that goes into a boxer's diet.

Fats

Healthy fats have far more calories than carbohydrates and proteins to provide you with lasting energy. You want to focus on healthy fats, and you need to consume fat during every meal. Fat also helps with the absorption of protein in the body, so it’s important to have some with every meal.

Carbohydrates

Boxers need energy. You want to stick to complex carbs that will provide you energy over the duration of your workout each day.

Protein

Protein is important for your body’s muscles to repair. Protein also takes longer to digest, and helps burn more calories at the same time. You’ll find that a good source of protein includes:

Eggs

Tuna

Peanut butter

Beans

And don’t forget that you want to eat meat as well. White meat is the best option, and it’s far easier for your body to digest than red meat. This means that you’ll be eating a lot of chicken and turkey. Avoid beef, pork and other red meats when possible. Organic and free roaming animals are normally not fed fillers, and are the ideal choice for a healthy diet.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide you with necessary nutrients throughout the day. It is recommended that you eat several cups (5 – 9) of fruits and vegetables on daily basis. As a boxer, these provide you with quick energy and essential nutrients for your body to repair following a rigorous boxing session.

Supplementation

Supplements are good, but you want to try to get all of your nutrients and vitamins from the food you eat. Remember that it is okay to take a multivitamin, but you want to try your best to get all the vitamins and nutrients through the food that you eat – it’s simply more natural and easier for the body to absorb.

The main issue with pills and supplements is the absorption rate in the body. I do recommend using a protein supplement (and any other supplements that you wish), but make sure that you are utilizing pure supplements, such as whey protein, that are not filled with a bunch of additives.

Caloric Intake

You’re likely not an Olympic boxer or professional yet, so you're going to have very different needs than a professional in terms of calories. Many boxers will eat 5,000 calories of food per day during their conditioning.

This will allow the body to sustain itself when boxing and not drop severe weight in the process.

When a boxer is not intensely training and conditioning, they will typically eat 3,000 calories a day at least. Keep in mind that boxer will always be training, but conditioning is more intense and occurs before a fight when a boxer is trying to counteract their opponent’s strengths.

Boxing is a very diverse sport, and there are many styles and techniques that you need to know to master the art of boxing. Everyone has their own technique and style, but they typically always fall into the following categorizations:

Boxing Styles

There are three main types of boxers. Let’s take a look at each type, and discuss them in greater detail:

Pure Boxer or Counterpuncher

The pure boxer remains a safe distance away from their opponent, and they control the pace of the fight. These boxers are all about timing and ring smarts. Floyd Mayweather is a prime example of a pure boxer and counterpuncher. For all of Mayweather’s flaws, he remained undefeated because he understood the basics of boxing and knew how to get out of the way of punches like nobody else in the world.

Boxer Puncher

Boxer punchers are well-rounded, and slowly break apart their opponents. These boxers rely on their punching power too much, and this may result in them losing the fight. Don’t get me wrong, these boxers are smart and talented, but they're always looking for the one knockout punch to end the match. Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez are two boxers that fall into this category.

Brawler

The greatest brawlers of all time may have been Mike Tyson and Joe Frazier. These are exciting fighters, and they put relentless pressure on their opponents. Aggression and punching power are needed for these boxers, and they normally lack in the defensive area, which leaves them open to counter punches and potential lockouts.

Boxing Techniques

There are several different categories for techniques and boxing. Let’s first start with stances:

Orthodox and Southpaw Stance

The two stances in boxing. The Orthodox stance leads with the left foot, while the southpaw will lead with the opposing foot of their opponent. Normally, the southpaw will have their right foot forward.

Attacking Techniques

If a boxer is not versatile in their techniques when attacking, their opposition will figure out their moves, and they will not have a long career. There are several different punches that are available in boxing, and these include:

Cross: A straight punch that is thrown with the backhand. This is the most effective power punch.

Hook: The hook is performed in a semi circular motion, and generates a lot of power. This punch is meant to hit your opponent’s side.

Jab: A punch that is thrown with the lead hand depending on the stance of the fighter. This punch may be weak, but it is very effective when setting up a power punch and to wear your opponent down.

Overhand: The overhand punch is thrown with your back hand, and requires the utmost precision, as opponents will see this punch coming from a distance.

Uppercut: A punch that arises from the bottom and normally lands on the opponent’s chin. You can obviously uppercut the opponent in their gut, and you want to be very careful, as this punch is dangerous if missed. If you miss an uppercut, you’re going to leave yourself open for counter punches and be off-balance.

The style and techniques that you use in boxing will define who you are as a boxer. There are also many other considerations, such as footwear, blocking and parrying, clinching and holding, and other defensive techniques that we did not cover. But you need to master all of these techniques (offense of and defensive) to be a complete boxer in the ring.

Boxers, especially new boxers, need to be able to withstand up to 12 rounds in the ring without falling to their knees in the process. It’s very trying and intensive for boxers to survive several rounds while getting hit and defending themselves from their opponent.

A boxing boot camp can help boost a person’s stamina and fitness level, so they're ready to begin training, or step in the ring.

We’re going to be discussing a few techniques that will allow you to successfully withstand the rigorous training of a boxer, and build your stamina and endurance at the same time. This is going to be a very intense workout, and we recommend that you have prior fitness experience before going to these extremes.

36-Minute Rowing Machine / Cross Trainer Hell

You’re going to need a rowing machine, cross trainer or both. I recommend having both available, but this is not realistic for some people. Most gyms will have these available, or you can buy them for your home for a rather affordable price. Keep in mind that I’m going to be alternating between these two machines during this boxing boot camp, but you can use one machine all time if you do not have access to both. If you would like to purchase your own rower then check out pefectrower.co.uk if you would like to read some rowing machine reviews.

In fact, if you do have access to one of the two machines, I do recommend either purchasing one of the others or utilizing one of the other machines every once in a while to simply change things up and challenge your body a little bit further.

Are you ready for 36 minutes of intense boot camp?

Note: I chose 36 minutes because that is the time that you will be spending in the ring. You can boost this up to 45 minutes or an hour, but we’re going to stick with 36 minutes right now.

Round 1: The first round will consist of 45 seconds each of:

Hard left and right uppercuts

Shadowboxing

Mountain climbers

High knee punches

Round 2: Jump on your rowing machine and row with zero resistance for three minutes at your highest intensity.

Round 3: You’ll be performing the following:

30 seconds of jabs

30 seconds of straight punches

30 seconds of jab crosses

30 seconds of uppers

30 seconds of jab crosses

30 seconds of straight punches

Round 4: Jump back onto the rowing machine and put it at a moderate resistance level. Row as fast as possible for three minutes.

Round 5: This round should consist of:

90 seconds of jab crosses

90 seconds of 10 second planks (five second rest periods)

Round 6: Jump on the cross trainer and choose a high elevation with a high resistance level. Make sure that this is a rigorous round, and that you are exerting a lot of energy.

Round 7: Repeat round 5.

Round 8: Head to the rowing machine, choose a moderate to high resistance level and row for 90 seconds before getting off and pumping out as many push-ups as possible for the remaining three minutes.

If you are able to make it this far, you’ll need to continue for four more rounds. These will consist of the following:

Round 9: Repeat round 1.

Round 10: Repeat round 3.

Round 11: Get on the cross trainer (no resistance, slight elevation) for three minutes.

Round 12: End your workout with a cooldown on the rowing machine for 3 - 5 minutes with little-to-no resistance.

This is a good primer for any boxing boot camp, and feel free to repeat any rounds that you like for up to 60 minutes. Remember to stay hydrated at this time, and to work your way up to the highest elevation and resistance on the cross trainer and rowing machine.